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Handbook of perinatal infections
BOOK
REVIEWS
Handbook of Perinatal Infections By J. L. Sever, J. W. Larsen and J. H. Grossman Little, Brown & Co. Boston, 1989, 200 pages. ~15.95
Price
This cone ise, easy-to-read book covers a wide range of infections. both common and obscure, which can affect pregnant women and newborn babies. It is conveniently organised into four parts by classification of causative organisms -viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections. This format allows easy reference to the information contained within the chapters. Each chapter covers a separate disease detailing the frediagnosis, prognosis and prevention in both quency, mother and baby. A useful reading list is included in each chapter, along with answers to common questions related to the disease. Although the book is an American publication and statistics relate mainly to the United States, it does give a global iniidencc of the diseases. It is rather expensive? but would be a useful addition to a midwifery library and a handy reference within a neonatal unit. PATRICIAMARY HAMILTON RGN, RM, MTD
monitoring systematically addresses all of the observations and tests which contribute to the accurate assessment ofpatients’ respiratory status. A further chapter on ‘Trouble-shooting Pressure Monitoring Systems: When do the Numbers Lie?’ is co-authored by a Professor of Medical Informatics and a Head Nurse, and gives an outstanding description of the practical management ofpressure monitoring. Each chapter concludes with a detailed reference list. A useful glossary of terms can be found at the end of the text. Overall this book would be a very worthwhile addition to the library of any ICU. The chapters focusing on respiratory monitoring intravascular line placement and pressure monitoring systems are particularly relevant for ICU nurses. MARGARETA. COULTER RGN, SCM. ENB 100. RCNT, HANS. MS<
Calculations for Nurses By G. W. Watchorn, revised by Jill Gregson Faber & Faber Limited, London, 1989,78 pages.
Price
L2.99
Clinics in Critical Care Medicine--Cardiopulmonary Critical Care Management By Robert J. Fallat and John M. Lute Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1988, 230 pages. Price L28.50 This book Management
addresses Cardiopulmonary from both the theoretical
Critical Care and practical
perspectives. There are nine chapters, the first four dealing in depth with cardiopulmonary components of respiratory failure, ventilatory failure, failure ofarterial oxygenation and failure of oxygen transport and utilisation. These excellent reference chapters are helpfully illustrated with case studies and contain information on practical management. However the physiology and pathophysiology is complicated and would be more intelligible to anaesthetists than to the majority of ICU nurses. The remaining five chapters focus on practical aspects making the text invaluable for ICU nurses in adult critical care areas. There is also useful information for paediatric intensive care nurses, notably the chapter on intravascular line placement which involves relevant anatomy, equipment, techniques used and commoii problems relating to intravascular lines. ‘I‘he illustrations which accompany this chapter are rxtremclygcjod. An excellent chapter on respiratory
Research by Susan Pirie (1987) identified the mathematical skills required by nurses. This brief text seeks to assist nursing students to ‘see the relevance of these skills to their everyday work’. There are chapters on the Metric System and SI Units, Body Fluids, Energy and Nutrition, Temperature and Pressure Measurements. The provision of an index would have helped readers to locate and refer to specific topics as required. Presentation of some information, for example Fluids and Electrolytes pages 21-27, could have been clarified further by the use of more diagrams and tables to interrupt long sections of prose. The revision questions at the end of each chapter help the readers to evaluate their progress, and in some sections, relate the subject matter directly to their everyday practice. In the section on calculation of doses the importance of checking calculations and seeking advice, is stressed. It was disappointing, however, to discover the omission of guidelines for calculating Intravenous Infusion Flow Rates; and puzzling to find the inclusion of dilution oflotion strengths--a practice not encouraged on the wards. Jill Gregson has made several alterations to the format and text, in this 3rd edition of a book originally published as ‘Medical Calculations for Nurses’ in 1973. Whilst these revisions have increased the relevance of this book to nursing, comprehensive coverage of the 107
REVIEWS
Handbook of Perinatal Infections By J. L. Sever, J. W. Larsen and J. H. Grossman Little, Brown & Co. Boston, 1989, 200 pages. ~15.95
Price
This cone ise, easy-to-read book covers a wide range of infections. both common and obscure, which can affect pregnant women and newborn babies. It is conveniently organised into four parts by classification of causative organisms -viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections. This format allows easy reference to the information contained within the chapters. Each chapter covers a separate disease detailing the frediagnosis, prognosis and prevention in both quency, mother and baby. A useful reading list is included in each chapter, along with answers to common questions related to the disease. Although the book is an American publication and statistics relate mainly to the United States, it does give a global iniidencc of the diseases. It is rather expensive? but would be a useful addition to a midwifery library and a handy reference within a neonatal unit. PATRICIAMARY HAMILTON RGN, RM, MTD
monitoring systematically addresses all of the observations and tests which contribute to the accurate assessment ofpatients’ respiratory status. A further chapter on ‘Trouble-shooting Pressure Monitoring Systems: When do the Numbers Lie?’ is co-authored by a Professor of Medical Informatics and a Head Nurse, and gives an outstanding description of the practical management ofpressure monitoring. Each chapter concludes with a detailed reference list. A useful glossary of terms can be found at the end of the text. Overall this book would be a very worthwhile addition to the library of any ICU. The chapters focusing on respiratory monitoring intravascular line placement and pressure monitoring systems are particularly relevant for ICU nurses. MARGARETA. COULTER RGN, SCM. ENB 100. RCNT, HANS. MS<
Calculations for Nurses By G. W. Watchorn, revised by Jill Gregson Faber & Faber Limited, London, 1989,78 pages.
Price
L2.99
Clinics in Critical Care Medicine--Cardiopulmonary Critical Care Management By Robert J. Fallat and John M. Lute Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1988, 230 pages. Price L28.50 This book Management
addresses Cardiopulmonary from both the theoretical
Critical Care and practical
perspectives. There are nine chapters, the first four dealing in depth with cardiopulmonary components of respiratory failure, ventilatory failure, failure ofarterial oxygenation and failure of oxygen transport and utilisation. These excellent reference chapters are helpfully illustrated with case studies and contain information on practical management. However the physiology and pathophysiology is complicated and would be more intelligible to anaesthetists than to the majority of ICU nurses. The remaining five chapters focus on practical aspects making the text invaluable for ICU nurses in adult critical care areas. There is also useful information for paediatric intensive care nurses, notably the chapter on intravascular line placement which involves relevant anatomy, equipment, techniques used and commoii problems relating to intravascular lines. ‘I‘he illustrations which accompany this chapter are rxtremclygcjod. An excellent chapter on respiratory
Research by Susan Pirie (1987) identified the mathematical skills required by nurses. This brief text seeks to assist nursing students to ‘see the relevance of these skills to their everyday work’. There are chapters on the Metric System and SI Units, Body Fluids, Energy and Nutrition, Temperature and Pressure Measurements. The provision of an index would have helped readers to locate and refer to specific topics as required. Presentation of some information, for example Fluids and Electrolytes pages 21-27, could have been clarified further by the use of more diagrams and tables to interrupt long sections of prose. The revision questions at the end of each chapter help the readers to evaluate their progress, and in some sections, relate the subject matter directly to their everyday practice. In the section on calculation of doses the importance of checking calculations and seeking advice, is stressed. It was disappointing, however, to discover the omission of guidelines for calculating Intravenous Infusion Flow Rates; and puzzling to find the inclusion of dilution oflotion strengths--a practice not encouraged on the wards. Jill Gregson has made several alterations to the format and text, in this 3rd edition of a book originally published as ‘Medical Calculations for Nurses’ in 1973. Whilst these revisions have increased the relevance of this book to nursing, comprehensive coverage of the 107